Lament of the Red One
by CodeLyoko
Summary: To regret the consequences of one's actions after so much pain and hatred was common for Genesis, especially after his awakening. The memories of the past draw him back to the ShinRa building to retrieve an item he prays is there, a precious book that is all he has left of the friends he betrayed. But underneath that is something that he never expected to see...


So I had written this three years ago and just now noticed that I had never posted it up in either Deviantart or here, which is strange because I meant to. This gives me nostalgia feelings from when I use to roleplay as Genesis on facebook, ohhh those were the days! Kinda funny I am posting this on my birthday too hehe! It's interesting to state that this is a fleshed out version of a starter I had written called Memories before. Originally I had written this to be an audition to roleplay Genesis on a site called Broken Hourglass which had shut down a year or so ago and had won over the judges, which had made me simply astounded. Til this day I still am proud of this and didn't want to edit it from its previous glory. So please read and enjoy everyone!

Warnings: Philosophical interpretations of Loveless ahead and peeks into Genesis' past. Also implied SephGen.

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><p><em>The play that has forever held its audience on the edge of their seats, wondering how it will conclude... The time for the Final Act to be performed is not yet to be told, for the action leading up to it still has yet to be put into motion by the Goddess.<em>

Destruction had taken its toll on the massive city known to all as Midgar, for years did it decay and lie there as a relic of the corrupted past, never forgotten in the minds of those who once lived there. However, it was one thing to read about it in reports, or to see glimpses of it in the distance, hesitant and disbelieving. But now, to finally return to the edge of the crater and to stare down at the sad remains of a city once so great... Only then did the burden of all those years, of the crucial moments and cruel words that had been spoken, had crashed down in a harsh reality around a single person, opening his eyes to the truth that glared into his eyes, daring him to look away. To now understand the consequences of their actions, no, of his actions, it revealed to him the events that had unfolded because of him.

The figure, its silhouette seen briefly through the setting sun's crimson light, slowly walked down carefully through the debris-laden wasteland, a glowing gaze of brilliant sapphire jewels glancing around to judge whether an enemy may have been lurking out of view, safely hidden in the growing shadows. The aura that radiated off of the red-clad figure was of confidence and deadly power, a clear warning to all sentient and non-sentient beings that he was not to be messed with. Auburn hair was tickled and teased by the passing wind, throwing the layered tresses out of place. A calm look was settled in a pale face, lips set in a thin neutral line, a sign of a man who had seen his fair share of battles and more.

The SOLDIER 1st Class outfit he wore, with the red coat, proudly stated to all who remembered who he was, the famous Red General of SOLDIER when Sephiroth had been proclaimed a Hero, of when the Wutai War still was being fought. The cadet who, with his best friend, had managed to break through every iron wall of the Great Sephiroth, slowly becoming the famous SOLDIER's only two friends. It had been a feat all thought impossible, until the country boy had accomplished it, and then set his sights on becoming one of the strongest SOLDIERs alive.

Genesis Rhapsodos.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess  
>We seek it thus, and take it to the sky<br>Ripples form on the water's surface  
>The wandering soul knows no rest."<p>

Although it was the First Act of Loveless that spilled through his lips so freely, instead of the Prologue, it had always been his favorite passage of the treasured book he carried. To ponder the many meanings of the Gift of the Goddess, in itself, held infinite possibilities. The mystery surrounding the verse always had interested him. This single verse of elegant poetry had left a delectable and addicting taste on his tongue the first time it had left his lips. It was no surprise that the young Banorian had picked up the book again a month later, attracted to it by the deeper meanings that eluded him beneath those honey coated words of Loveless. His parents had not been too impressed with finding that he loved a book of poetry, rather, they found this to mean that he was interested in the literature aspect of his education, not only the rough housing that he and his best friend had always took part in outdoors.

"Perhaps to everyone, there was a 'Gift of the Goddess' meant for them, to help guide them in life, a goal that they must strive to obtain." A calm poetic voice danced in the air, teasing the very heavens to speak back to him. It was only a speculation for the red warrior, but it made sense in his mind. To seek the gift was to begin on a journey that would span the course of one's life, however, whenever he had read the last part of the second verse, he always wondered if the author of Loveless had meant to speak figuratively or literally about the taking the Gift of the Goddess to the sky. His younger, more naïve self had believed that it would have been impossible, as being able to ascend into the sky required wings, like of a bird. Now his older, more mature self understood what the author was attempting to get across, the spirit takes their gift with them when they rejoin the Lifestream, rising without having wings.

When an individual starts their journey, whether or not they decide to seek to discover their Gift, a ripple is formed, similar to a ripple in the water. As one forms, others follow behind them, only to collide into each other, brushing against another's path and becoming intertwined with them. It was, in a simple way of speaking, the way life was depicted to be. Each wandering soul could not completely be at rest, always on the move, or experiencing something new. A meeting of the eyes or an accidental stumbling into was all it took for these ripples to reform, only to repeat the process once more, a never ending cycle. It was amazing what one's mind could come up with to interpret such deep insightful words of beauty.

A sharp sound in the silence caught his attention, rough claws on twisted metal. The scent of wet fur caused one hand to fly up and cover his nostrils briefly, disliking the rank smell of it. Mako-empowered senses flared into action, detecting where the sound was and preparing, his body entering the infamous 'SOLDIER Combat Phase'. His long legs propelled him into the air, his sword staying at his side, not believing that these insolent monsters were worth his blade's time. He seemed to hang in the air and defy the gravity of the Planet herself, fire bursting into existence on his left hand, calling upon the element in which he fully embraced. The flickering tendrils licked at his hand, begging to be manipulated to their master's wishes. A wicked smile parted his lips, enjoying this small battle as much as he would any other. For a SOLDIER, fighting was in their veins, to be cooped up and not able to fight was like casting a haste spell on SOLDIER who was about to be sent on a stealth mission. Speed was not the answer to that problem, but slow movements and careful timing. Agitation would build up into a crescendo, an unwise situation to be in if one could not prepare themselves for a sudden battle. All in all, it was disaster waiting to happen, and this battle soothed his needs for now.

"The fates seem to not be in your favor." He whispered, releasing several large balls of firaga at the leaping figures, eyes only briefly glancing over their dark pelts. Howls of pain filled the air, as did the horrid stench of burnt flesh. He landed on a crooked metal overhang, not glancing back at the fallen Guard Hounds. It was not his way to feel sorry for the beasts; they had made the wrong decision of trying to attack him. The mind of the SOLDIER was a blur as he kept walking. In a whirlwind of ebony feathers and the horrible sound of ripping leather and flesh, a dark mass burst free from the skin near his shoulder blade, dripping with blood, yet drying quickly in the wind. No pain registered in his mind, too used to the pain that it simply became a dull ache that quickly dissipated. Extending the massive wing and bringing it down, the harsh wind quickly helping his ascent to a certain floor of the ShinRa building. Dark storm clouds in the sky reflected the SOLDIER's current mindset. A broken window presented to him an opening and he landed in the remnants of what used to be the meeting room that connected to the three SOLDIER's rooms. It was still standing, which was surprising to the General, but everything in it was destroyed, plants that had once been taken cared of now merely rough dirt on the ceiling. With one glance, Genesis could tell that the dirt could not be used, dry and nutrition-less. His neutral mask slipped; saddened that his best friend's hard work at keeping them alive was wasted, loving how the planets had brought life to the simple room.

The debris littered floor held nothing more of interest. He headed for the door in front of him, ignoring the rightmost door, the one that was once called his own. Nothing lay in there that he held dear. Everything had been taken from that room the moment he decided with Hollander that he would desert. He remembered the bitterness that had started to consume him. Once rooted, the seeds of hatred and darkness easily spread, lying in wait in the corner of his mind, latching onto doubts and feeding into the lies he had been told since birth. Shaking his heads, he pushed those thoughts away. Those seeds had withered when shown the wrongs of his actions, but they still stayed. Once immersed in madness and darkness, brought on all too easily by his degradation, the seeds would always stay, lingering out of sight, but not forgotten. The door that led to Angeal's room stared back at him sadly, yet it held nothing for him either, though he paused, staring at the room with a melancholy look. How he longed to hear his voice again, even if it meant suffering through yet another of his 'Pride, Honor, and Dreams' speeches. No, he thought, he was not going to linger in his sadness; he had already mourned his friend all those years ago. His black-haired friend was watching over him from the Lifestream. Step by step, his feet were bringing him to his destination, the room of the Silver Demon of Wutai, Sephiroth.

A gloved hand slowly pushed open the mostly destroyed automated door, glancing around to find what he was seeking, praying to his beloved goddess that it was still here. A dresser, lying on its side, still managed to survive the onslaught of what had transpired only a few years ago. Not that he knew, he was still learning about all that he had missed during his sleep. In there was the prize he sought to retrieve. Hesitance took over his expression, glancing around, still managing to feel the presence of his friend, even after he was long gone. He quickly shook that feeling off, holding his head high as he knelt down, pulling one drawer out of the dresser, laying it flat on the ground. Wrinkling his nose up as a thick layer of dust met his vision; he brushed the offending particles away, eyes glued onto the title of the thick black book. 'Memories' it said in bold, gold letters. Settling on the floor, making sure that it wasn't going to collapse under him, he flipped open the book, his vision drawn eagerly to the photos of the past.

The first one was of Angeal and himself when they had managed to make it into SOLDIER's cadet rank. A snort of amusement floated around the room, remembering how much he had hated that tacky outfit. He flipped through the pages, memories staring back up at him, pictures of when they became friends with Sephiroth, catching his first smile, of them hanging out. It was a photo album that none of the other SOLDIERs knew about, a gift Angeal and him had provided Sephiroth on his 20th birthday. It had been almost filled by the time that fated duel came about...

Lips thinned into a deep frown, sighing gently and closing the book, the last picture forever burned into his mind. The three of them, simply staring at the picture, smiling. If only it could have stayed that way... He couldn't undo the past, but he certainly could enjoy the memories that had been left behind, with this photo album. He hefted it into his hands and began to stand, only to catch sight of small folder that had not caught his attention before. He knelt back down, putting the book down so as to pick up the tan folder. What was this? Opening it with his curiosity peaking, he came across two VIP tickets to the newest Loveless play, only a few days after his desertion. The folder nearly fell from his fingers, his gaze turning inward. The date specified on the receipt next to the worn tickets told him that these were bought a day after the duel. Had this been done in an act of sorrow, for causing him pain, or for not being able to help him with his injury? He straightened up, frowning.

"Is this what you were attempting to tell me when I told you to go away, when I was packing up for that mission?" The sound of his voice was of disbelief; never have believing that Sephiroth had remembered that he had wanted to see that play again... Fingers played over the two tickets with gentleness, knowing that the old tickets could fall apart at a moment's notice. Unknown to Genesis, a hint of a smile could be seen pulling at his lips in the near darkness. The emotion welling deep within him was not foreign to him. It was fondness for the silverette on both a comrade level and perhaps something deeper. To think that he wanted to make up for hurting him and wished to apologize in his own way. The tickets, although never used, had worked their magic. Slowly closing the folder and picking up the book, he held onto the two items, finding his way back to the window and staring at the sky, the wide endless heavens almost as black as his wing.

A brand new day awaited him, and he would be there to embrace it. After all, he was chosen as the planet's new protector.


End file.
